Genshin Impact 3.4: Alhaitham's banner countdown and update schedule

The Genshin Impact 3.4 update is only a few weeks away. As the first major patch for the game in 2023, it will offer a lot of new content, including fresh playable characters such as Alhaitham and Yaoyao, as well as the rumored Sumeru desert region.

Genshin Impact released Sumeru, Land of Dendro Archon, in version 3.0, which also introduced players to many new entities like Alhaitham. Ever since his introduction in the Archon Quest, he has been one of the most highly anticipated characters. This article will offer his release date as well as a countdown timer for when his banner goes live in the gacha title.

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Release date and countdown to Alhaitham's banner in Genshin Impact 3.4

Fans have been eagerly waiting for Alhaitham’s release for a long time, and HoYoverse finally decided to add him as a playable unit in the 3.4 patch update. On December 9, the developers officially announced him as the brand-new playable unit, along with Yaoyao.

Genshin Impact's server will be under maintenance for five hours for the 3.4 patch on January 17 or 18, 2023, depending on the time zone. Subsequently, the update will be playable, and Alhaitham's banner will be available. You can find the countdown clock for the character's release below.

When the server downtime ends, the update will go live. Here is the maintenance schedule for patch 3.4:

• PST, UTC -7: January 17 from 2 pm to 7 pm.
• MST, UTC -6: January 17 from 3 pm to 8 pm.
• CST, UTC -5: January 17 from 4 pm to 9 pm.
• EST, UTC -4: January 17 from 5 pm to 10 pm.
• BST, UTC +1: January 17 from 11 pm to 4 am.
• CEST, UTC +2: January 18 from 12 am to 5 am.
• MSK, UTC +3: January 18 from 1 am to 6 am.
• IST, UTC +5:30: January 18 from 3:30 am to 8:30 am.
• CST, UTC +8: January 18 from 6 am to 11 am.
• JST, UTC +9: January 18 from 7 am to 12 pm.
• AEST, UTC +10, January 18 from 8 am to 1 pm.
• NZST, UTC +12: January 18 from 10 am to 3 pm.

All Genshin Impact players will receive 600 Primogems via in-game mail as compensation for the server downtime. If the maintenance period goes over five hours, players will receive a 60 Primogems bonus.

According to reliable leakers, Alhaitham will be available in the first phase of version 3.4, along with Xiao and Yaoyao. The update's weapon banner will feature a brand-new item, Light of Foliar Incision, which will be Alhaitham’s signature sword. It will also contain Xiao’s Primordial Jade Winged Spear. These items will be up for 21 days as the game has returned to its original update schedule.

Genshin Impact is also expected to celebrate the third edition of the Lantern Rite festival as the Chinese New Year draws near. Some very strong characters like Hu Tao and Yelan will return with it.

If the leaks are accurate, the former is set to present herself in the second phase of version 3.4, along with the latter, after almost a year. The staff of Homa and Aqua Simulacra will be the featured five-star items on phase two's weapon banner.